Healthcare, Technology and Autism converge at CES 2012

This is a guest blog post from Marc Sirkin, Autism Speaks VP Social Marketing and Online Fundraising. He recently attended CES to support the launch of a strategic partnership with Careverge.com.

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is big, really big. Crazy big. The annual show hosts some 140,000 attendees and features some of the most incredible technology, gadgets and ideas that shape how we interact with our world. The main purpose of my attending was to support a recent partnership between Autism Speaks and Audax Health’s Careverge [link]. Starting back in October, when we held the first “Hacking Autism” event technology has been on my mind, and as we saw on that incredible day, mobile apps and tablets are literally transforming the autism experience across the autism spectrum. It’s led me to start asking what I think is a great question: “How will new digital technologies and digital platforms transform the lives of those on the spectrum today and in the future?”

We continue to try to answer that question at IMFAR, our Core77 competition and have some exciting news to share in the days ahead about what’s next for “Hacking Autism.” I’m thrilled here to blog about a new partner, Careverge.

Careverge as you’ll see and hear in the video below is on the forefront of the “digital health” revolution. Spurred on by massive consumer pain and ever spiraling health care costs, entrepreneurs like Grant Verstandig, the Founder and CEO of Audax Health are bringing together a combination of technological ideas and experience, social networking, data analysis and gaming to create innovative and frankly, incredibly cool solutions.

I don’t know how Careverge will help you and your family but I suspect that you’ll come up with new ways to use the service. There are already more than 200 members of the “Autism Speaks” community and now it’s your turn. If you believe like I do that technology can and is making a different TODAY for all those on the autism spectrum, please register on the Autism Speaks Careverge site and and send us your feedback!

Some say that they say they are searching for a “cure” for autism. However, I believe that there is no ‘cure’ as autism is just a different type of mind. – Evolution’s way of preparing future man for new technology. My autistic son, Howard, is so proficient on a computer, because it is in a virtual world and because he has such concentration. Now most of us haven’t got good memories because our thoughts are diverted. Howard has no problem in concentrating on one thing at a time so when he is on the computer he is better than the average person, because of his absolute concentration.
He could not talk until he was about 9 yrs old and was refused education by the local education authority ‘because of his disability of mind’ and ‘medical experts’ described him as a ‘write-off’. Yet, many years later he graduated from University in Computer Science!

My niece did not have a Special Needs Trust established as a child nor teen. So as an adult, with no parents, she must live state check to state check in order to cover her monthly expenses. As I assist her in managing and covering her expenses, it pains me to witness this cold reality that most young people will be face with, if their parents do not plan correctly. Now, I am a Financial Advisor with a focus on Special Needs Annuities, that loves new business but this blog is me sharing her story with you, so u will not make the same mistake with your child. My niece struggle became mine…..And it could have been avoided with a proper plan….